Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis deals with the history of the Berlin Missionary Society (BMS) that commenced their work in 1834 in South Africa. Due to financial reasons the ZuidAfrikaansche Zendinggenootskap (SASG), which coordinated missionary work in South Africa, requested the BMS to take over their activities at the missionary station Zoar in the Little Karoo. Their missionary work ofthe BMS rapidly extended to the neighbouring Amalienstein, then Ladismith, Anhalt-Schmidt (Haarlem), Riversdale, Herbertsdale, Mossel Bay, Laingsburg and Cape Town. Culturally and ethnologically, the field of work of the missionaries of the BMS in the northern provinces differed radically from that of their colleagues in the Western Cape. By 1838 the coloured communities of the Western Cape were already well acquainted with Western culture as well as with the Christian religion. This did not prevent the missionaries from applying a strict pietistic and patriarchal approach towards the coloured people they worked amongst. As the owners of the land on which these missionary stations were established, the missionaries laid down strict rules and regulations and were able to control the spiritual and material behaviour of the members of their congregations. Their approach had two important effects: The mlSSionanes, m emphasising the important role of education, opened doors to better living conditions for the various communities on a short term basis that eventually created socio-economic empowerment. On the other hand, it led to opposition from within these communities, which in later years would have a profound influence on the political mobilisation of the coloured population of the Western Cape. Financial problems and poverty became an integral part of the history of the BMS in the Western Cape- and for that matter, in South Africa. This was especially apparent during the first half of the twentieth century, when two world wars had a devastating effect on their work. The effects during this time on the BMS and the communities they served were two-fold: Due to financial constraints, the BMS increasingly handed over spiritual and educational work to local pastors and teachers. Secondly, the missionaries came to associate themselves with the rise of Afrikaner nationalism. Their low profile in opposing the developing policy of apartheid - and even tacit approval of it - not only led to a break with the committee in Berlin, but also to the estrangement of many of their church members. In 1961, the year in which a republican form of government was established in South Africa and the Berlin Wall was erected, the German Lutheran missionary societies amalgamated to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Africa (ELCSA) and the traditional missionary work of the BMS came to an end. Compared with the missionary activities of the much larger Dutch Reformed Church in the Western Cape, the role of the BMS may seem less relevant. When the impact of the work of the missionaries and their dedicated coloured church members are considered, their contribution to education and human development, is far bigger than their numbers represent. This allows them a place in the history and development of the Western Cape with its cultural diversity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif handel oor die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap (BSG) wat in 1834 in Suid-Afrika begin werk het. Sendingwerk onder die gekleurde gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap het in 1838 toevallig begin toe die Zuid-Afrikaanse Zendinggenootskap (SASG) die BSG versoek het om weens finansiele redes die sendingbedrywighede by Zoar in die Klein Karoo oor te neem. Van hier af het die sendingaksie vinnig uitgebrei na die nabygelee Amalienstein en daama na Ladismith, Haarlem in die Langkloof, Riversdal, Herbertsdale, Mosselbaai, Laingsburg en Kaapstad. Kultureel en etnologies het die sendelinge in die Wes-Kaap se bedieningsveld radikaal verskil van die van hulle kollegas in die noordelike provinsies. Die gekleurde gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap was teen 1838 alreeds met die Westerse leefwyse en kultuur bekend en was ook reeds in kontak met die Christelike boodskap. Dit het die sendelinge in hierdie gebied - met hulle sterk pietistiese agtergrond - nie verhoed om 'n sterk en streng patriargale benadering ten opsigte van hulle gemeentelede te volg nie. Om woonverblyf op die sendingstasies te bekom moes lidmate van die BSG die reels en regulasies wat die sendelinge neergele het, streng navolg. Hierdeur kon die sendelinge beheer oor hulle gemeentelede se geestelike en materiele lewe uitoefen. Hierdie benadering het twee belangrike uitvloeisels onder die gekleurde gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap tot gevolg gehad. Eerstens het dit vir hierdie gemeenskappe opvoedkundige deure oopgemaak wat hulle lewenskwaliteite op korttermyn verbeter het en op 'n langer termyn hulle sosio-ekonomiese posisie verbeter het. Tweedens het dit egter ook tot weerstand gelei waarin die stem van hierdie gemeenskappe vir die eerste keer gehoor is en wat in later jare 'n beduidende invloed op die politieke toekoms van hierdie gemeenskappe sou he. Finansiele probleme en armoede het soos 'n goue draad deur die geskiedenis van die BSG in die Wes-Kaap geloop. Dit was veral die geval gedurende die eerste helfte van die twintigste eeu toe twee Wereldoorloe 'n verwoestende effek op die genootskap se werksaamhede gehad het. Dit het twee belangrike uitvloeisels tot gevolg gehad: Eerstens was die genootskap gedwing om geestelike en opvoedkundige werk al hoe meer aan gekleurde werkers oor te laat- wat op sigself 'n bemagtigingsproses tot gevolg gehad het. Tweedens het die sendelinge van die BSG hulle al hoe meer met opkomende Afrikaner nasionalisme - en dus die ontplooiing van apartheid - vereenselwig wat nie alleen 'n breuk met die komitee in Berlyn tot gevolg gehad het nie, maar ook met hulle gekleurde gemeentelede wat aan die ontvangkant van rassesegregasie en diskriminasie was. Teen die einde van 1961, wat saamgeval het met die oorgang na 'n republikeinse staatsvorm in Suid-Afrika en die oprigting van die Berlynse Muur, het die verskillende Duitse Lutherse sendinggenootskappe saamgesmelt om die Evangeliese Lutherse Kerk van Suid-Afrika (ELKSA) te vorm en het die tradisionele sendingwerk van die BSG in Suid-Afrika tot 'n einde gekom. Gemeet aan die omvang van die werksaamhede van 'n kerkgenootskap soos die NG Kerk in die Wes-Kaap, veral tydens die twintigste eeu, mag die rol van die BSG gering voorkom. Op die langtermyn gesien is die invloed van die Berlynse sendelinge (en hul nageslag wat hulle permanent in Suid-Afrika gevestig het), asook die bruin lidmate van die BSG, in hierdie streek buite verhouding groot; veral ten opsigte van onderwys en opvoeding. Hiermee verdien die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap 'n staanplek in die ryk skakering van die W es-Kaapse geskiedenis.

M.Sc. / It is the focus of the study to qualitatively describe and then quantify the mineralogical and geochemical changes associated with the supergene alteration of carbonate-rich braunite lutite (Mamatwan-type ore) immediately below the Kalahari unconformity along the southeastern suboutcrop perimeter of the Hotazel Formation in the Kalahari deposit. It was also the objective of this study to determine the timing and duration of supergene alteration. Samples for polished thin sections were carefully selected from eight representative boreholes to be representative of all the lithostratigraphic zones and ore types. The thin sections were used to study mineralogy by means of reflected light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. X-ray powder diffractometry on representative powder samples were used to study the mineralogy and geochemistry of the samples. Microprobe analyses were also performed on the representative samples. Finally the samples were submitted for 40Ar/39Ar geochronology. In this supergene enrichment zone carbonates are leached (associated with an increase in porosity) and Mn2+/Mn3+ -bearing minerals (kutnahorite, Mn-calcite an braunite) are altered to supergene Mn4+-bearing mineral phases (todorokite and manganomelane) and minor quartz. This process upgrades ore from 38 wt% Mn to ore with more than 40 wt% Mn. Element fluxes, enrichment and depletion of major and trace elements were quantified by mass balance calculations. Na2O, K2O, Sr, Ba, Zn and H2O were enriched, while Mn3O4, Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, P, B and CO2 were leached from the ore during supergene alteration. Results of this study suggest that the development of Post African I erosional surface may have taken place 45 Ma ago. The bottom of the weathering profile gives a well-defined peak at ca. 5 Ma that may possible coincide with the development of Post African II erosional surface. The major characteristics of the alteration process of the unaltered Mamatwan-type ore to supergene altered braunite lutite can be summarized as follow: • Leaching of Mn carbonates and Mn2+/Mn3+-oxides. • Formation of Mn4+-oxyhydroxides and quartz. • Decrease in relative density of the ore. • Increase in porosity of the ore. • Leaching of Mn3O4, Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, P, B, CO2. • Enrichment of Na2O, K2O, Sr, Ba, Zn, H2O. Chemical weathering processes along the Cenozoic Kalahari unconformity appear to have affected the manganiferous lithologies of the Hotazel Formation from 45 Ma onwards to 5 Ma. The weathering front processes very slowly through the Mn-rich braunite lutite (<10m in 40 Ma; <0.25m/Ma); producing a very uniform and microcrystalline supergene mineral assemblage with distinct characteristics.

D.Litt. et Phil. / The present study examined the development of an understanding of the concept of death by Black African learners residing in a rural area in the Eastern Cape. The study was set against the background of the African cultural meaning systems related to death. There were 31 learners whose ages ranged between 6-8, 9-12, and 13-16 years. Only learners whose parents gave consent were included in the study. Data were collected using drawings and semi-structured tape-recorded interviews from a modified version of the Smilansky (1987) Death Questionnaire. Drawings were analysed following Marton’s (1981) phenomenographic method. Pattern coding was used to pull the paraphrased segments of the interview transcripts into meaningful themes. The responses specific to the five components of death were analysed using Smilansky’s scoring method. From the analysis of drawings 9 categories of description emerged and these reflected a contextualised understanding of death. The overview of the drawings reflected more similarities than differences between the age groups. The referent object influenced the pattern of component acquisition. For instance, the level of understanding was better for human death compared to the level of understanding for animal death among the 6-8 age group. The reversal was true for older learners whose level of conceptualising animal death was more advanced than the level of conceptualising human death. This finding demonstrates the influence of cultural practices on the development of the conceptualisation of death. The conceptualisation of old age seemed to develop before the other components followed by inevitability, then irreversibility, and last, finality and causality. Gender differences were noted only in the explanations of causes of death. The conclusions reached demonstrated that the development of an understanding of death is affected by age, cognition, and by other familial and cultural factors depending on the context within which such development takes place. The principles of the neo-Piagetian theory proved useful in explaining the findings of the present study. Finally, recommendations regarding guidelines for handling death-related issues with children and regarding directions for future research are provided.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

The research problem addressed in this study was to identify operational strategies that will enhance the ability of National Public Works Department (NPWD) of the Eastern Cape to retain its Client Departments. Privatisation has lead to performance management becoming essential to satisfy the client departments needs and requirements. In order to identify operational strategies which will enhance NPWD’s operation’s performance, questionnaires with relevant operation questions were used as well as a brain-writing session. The findings of the literature survey clearly highlight the specific areas where attention is required for improvements.

Decentralization of governance is one of the many reforms that has been undertaken by the Department of Education in the Republic of South Africa since the attainment of democracy in 1994. The concept of decentralisation originates from the belief that the state alone cannot control schools, but should share its power with other stakeholders, particularly those closer to the school, on a partnership basis (Marishane, 1999:78). The South African Schools Act (SASA) No 84 of 1996 mandates the establishment of democratic structures of school governance in all schools (RSA, 1996a, section 16). According to the South African Schools Act No 84 of 1996, School Governing Bodies have been mandated to be responsible for the recommendation of teachers for appointment through interviews. This study was conducted in the Libode District in the Eastern Cape. Libode is composed of rural villages which are characterised by poverty, a high rate of unemployment and illiteracy. Many schools in the Libode district of education are experiencing problems emanating from the recruitment of teachers carried out by the SGBs. Interviews conducted by the SGBs are more often than not nullified and the selection and interview processes have to be repeated. They (SGBs) fail to defend their recommendations with valid facts when challenged by union representatives or by candidates themselves. The major concern of this study is to investigate the stakeholders' perceptions of the involvement of school governing bodies in the appointment of teachers in Libode district. A qualitative approach was employed for this research study. Purposive sampling was used for sampling the schools from which interviewees were selected. There were 14 respondents in the sample. Three (3) school principals , three teachers, three (3) teacher candidates, one SADTU teacher, one NAPTOSA teacher, two (2) SGB parents from the parent component and two (2) circuit managers were interviewed. The case study research design was employed to explore the perceptions of the stakeholders regarding teacher appointments. This research employed three data collection techniques, namely semi-structured interviews, documents analysis and observations. The main findings of this study reveal that the involvement, or participation, of the SGBs (parent components) in the recruitment of teachers is the source of conflict and disputes. The SGBs lack capacity, capacity to draft criteria for shortlisting qualified teachers, and capacity to conduct interviews properly and fairly. Findings suggest that problems still exist around SGBs' knowledge of Policies and Acts that enshrine procedures pertaining to teacher recruitment. In conclusion, from the findings, it appears premature for the system to mandate this professional function of teacher recruitment to the office of the SGBs.

M.Sc. / Biofuels have the potential to reduce a country’s dependence on imported oil, to ensure diversity of energy sources, to increase the availability of renewable energy sources and to address global environmental issues. In recognition of the potential benefits of the production and use of biofuels, the Department of Minerals and Energy released the Draft Biofuels Industrial Strategy in December 2006 with the aim to increase the use of biofuels in South Africa to replace 4.5% of conventional transport fuels by 2013. However, there are several barriers that need to be overcome before South Africa can establish a large-scale biofuel industry to achieve the DME’s biofuel target. This includes environmental barriers, such as the availability of land for the cultivation of biofuel feedstocks and potential threats to food security. This study focuses on these environmental barriers and aims to determine the potential for bioethanol production from maize in South Africa to 2013. To this purpose, a bioethanol potential model is developed to simulate the potential for bioethanol production from maize in South Africa between 2008 and 2013. The model incorporates four key elements that all impact on the availability of maize for bioethanol production, namely: maize demand; maize supply; the demand for maize as biomaterial; and the available land area for the cultivation of maize. The study makes further use of the scenario planning method to determine the potential for bioethanol production from maize in South Africa. Four unique bioethanol potential scenarios are designed and simulated within the bioethanol potential model developed for this purpose. Each scenario plays out a different Abstract storyline for the future social, economic and natural environment that will impact on the availability of maize for bioethanol production. The results of the bioethanol potential scenario simulations show that South Africa will be able to produce enough maize to meet the DME’s biofuel target of 1.2 billion liters of bioethanol for all scenarios between 2009 and 2010. From 2011 onwards, the bioethanol potential decreases below the DME’s target value in both the worst case and rapid change scenarios. The study concludes that the production of bioethanol from maize in South Africa will have various social, economic and environmental consequences for the country’s agricultural sector. The depletion of domestic maize supplies will seriously threaten food security and consequently, increase the country’s dependence on maize imports. This will not only affect the country’s maize producing regions, but spread throughout South Africa as the demand for agriculturally productive land for maize production increases. Domestic food security is therefore at risk and South Africa will have to resort to other energy technologies to achieve a sustainable and renewable energy future for road transport.

M.Sc. / An estimated 98% of the iron ore exploited in the world is used in the manufacture of pig iron and steel, which are non-substitutable backbones of modern society. The rapid increase of world steel production over the last few years, driven mainly by economic growth in China, have required an equal increase in iron ore production, from 876.8 Mt in 2006 to 948.1 Mt in 2007. The increased rate of exploitation of iron ores has resulted in a rapid depletion of known high-grade iron ore deposits. This, in turn, has led to a dramatic increase of prices, especially for highly thought-after high-grade lumpy iron ores from BIF-hosted deposits. In the absence of any major new discoveries of high-grade iron ore deposits, mining companies have turned to lower-grade materials to assess their beneficiation potential to expand their production base and beneficiation capacity, in order to satisfy future demand. Within this existing framework, this research project was initiated to assess the beneficiation potential of low-grade lumpy stockpiles and high-grade iron ore fines at Beeshoek Iron Ore Mine, owned by Assmang Ltd. The mine is located 7 km West of Postmasburg, in the Northern Cape Province of South-Africa, and processes currently 5.60 million tons of uncontaminated run-of-mine ore per annum. Crushing, washing, classification and jigging are used to produce 2.12 million tons of (37.8% of ROM) of lumpy iron ore product. The balance (3.48 million tons) is currently not used, but is stockpiled or discarded. This includes 0.90 million tons (16.2% of ROM) of ore-grade fines, 0.86 million tons (15% of ROM) of tailings sludge and 1.74 million tons (31% of ROM) of lumpy low grade material. Both ore-grade fines and low-grade lumpy material are discarded separately; they are currently considered as waste. The low-grade lumpy is stockpiled while the fines are used to fill-in mined-out open pits. The evaluation of the beneficiation potential of these two material streams is the main goal of this study. Representative samples were collected from ore-grade fines and the current stockpile for low-grade lumpy material. Hand sorting and lithological categorization of the lumpy material facilitated petrographic and mineralogical studies using light and scanning electron microscopy, as well as X-ray powder diffraction studies. Major and trace element geochemistry were determined using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and titrimetry (to accurately determine the concentration of iron). Whole rock densities were determined for all lithotypes recognized in the low-grade lumpy material. The grain size distribution was determined for the lumpy materials by actual measurement of the diameter of a representative number of particles, and for fines by sieve analysis. Fines beneficiation tests were conducted using spiral separation and simple classification tests. Washing was used as additional beneficiation method on the fines.